June 17, 2026
Syrian Interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa gestures while speaking to Russian President Vladimir Putin during their meeting at the Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow, on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. (Maxim Shipenkov/Pool Photo via AP)
Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa has reportedly rejected US President Donald Trump’s proposal that Syria take the lead in confronting Hezbollah, fearing such a move would be seen across the Arab world as defending Israel and would damage his regional standing.
Trump recently praised al-Sharaa, claiming he “does not like Hezbollah” and suggesting Syria would do “a better job” than Israel at dealing with the Iran-backed terror group. He also criticized Israel’s military campaign in Lebanon, arguing it had gone on for too long and caused excessive civilian casualties, while urging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to show greater restraint.
According to reports, Damascus remains unwilling to confront Hezbollah unless Israel first withdraws from territory captured in southern Syria following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad. Israeli officials have reportedly dismissed the proposal, questioning Syria’s willingness and ability to dismantle Hezbollah, while Lebanon has also rejected the idea of Syrian forces operating on its territory.
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